After time out running errands, it was clear Peter needed a place to run around and get his ya-yas out, so we stopped by Town of Apex’s Salem Pond Park. This park is a perennial favorite due to the squishy ground (no mulch, yay!), nearby coffee shop, Wake Zone Coffee House), and proximity to our house. Check out Peter’s Instagram stories and highlights for more detailed information, including videos where you can check out the park before you go!
PARK POINTS Location: 6112 Old Jenks Road, Apex, NC 27523 Stroller friendly? Yes, there are paved paths to the playground and a walking path around the playground, soccer field, and pond that is just slightly over half a mile long. Toddler friendly? Definitely. We like this playground because it is not mulch, but rather a sort of squishy floor that is easy for new walkers to walk, and more importantly, fall on. There is a jungle gym geared for ages 2-5. There is a fenced in soccer field where kids could go hog wild running around if need be. There are 2 areas when walking up to the playground that are a little steep and have some large rocks, which could be dangerous, but other than that, it is a pretty safe park for little ones. Bathrooms? No bathrooms, and therefore also no changing tables. HOWEVER, a friend has told us that the Wake Zone Coffee House, which is just in the plaza next door and there are steps up to the shop from the park, is okay with park visitors coming in and using their restrooms. Water fountain? One that had two sides, along with a place to fill up your water bottle. Looked nice and clean. Benches/tables? Yes, picnic tables around the playground, as well as an actual table and benches by the 2-5 year old jungle gym. Covered areas? Not really. There is a very small attempt at a covering over the 2-5 year old jungle gym, but it doesn’t help much. Parking? A relatively small lot, but if you were to go on a weekend, you could probably park at either Salem Elementary or Middle School, which is right next door. Greenway access? I’m not sure I would call it a greenway, but there is a short paved trail, mentioned above, that is 0.51 miles. Jungle gyms? Two - one for ages 2-5, another for 5 and above. A swing set with 2 swings. Another swing that is sort of like riding on a giant saucer. There is also something that we can only describe as an arched monkey bars - check out the photos to see what we mean. Other cool information: The playground sets are train themed and really adorable. • From the park, there are steps that lead up to a small shopping plaza that has a really great and local coffee shop, Wake Zone Coffee House. (They also have a drive-thru if you want to swing by before or after some park action.) What parents couldn’t use a pick-me-up now and again??
PETER'S PERSPECTIVE
Because this park is relatively small, there is not a whole lot we need to add to the Park Points; however, do not let that deter you from checking out this park! As we noted above, it is a perennial favorite for our family and it can be for yours, too! It is great for younger little ones because it does not have mulch and the ground is very forgiving for new walkers. The train theme is just so much fun, allowing the kids to both be physically active and play make believe. There are picnic tables and benches around the park, but there is also a small sitting area attached to the young kids playground that is great. And who can forget the coffee shop? Wake Zone has a drive-thru so you can pick up on the go, or you can take the steps from the park up to stop in the shop.
One thing that should be noted about this park, though, is that because it is right by Salem Elementary and Middle Schools, there are certain times of the day when it can be very active and full of kids waiting for their parents to pick them up from school. So if you are looking for a little more peace and quiet (i.e., not a mob of children), you should plan your visit accordingly.
Lastly, every time we've come to this park, Peter just gets so excited about the playground area (he refused to leave a tunnel on the little kids playground during this past visit), that we've never actually walked the path by the pond area. This is something we will have to eventually try and report back.